Umbrella



June 2, 1953 F. KRAMER UMBRELLA Filed July 15. 1949 I N V EN TOR. filtwmc Mam W W Aifarneys Patented June 2, 1953 UMBRELLA Ferdinand Kz'zamer, Port Chester; N.- Y., assigno'rto Eadex Foreign Trading Corporation, New York N. 35;, a corporation: of New: York ApplicaticnJuly 1'5, 1949, SerialNm 1041911,

SiCIaiinm. (Cl. 135-20 The general object of the i nvention is to provide a novel, simple, extremely inexpensive; and practical umbrella which is particularly suited for emergency use or for novelty sale, the product being'capable of being manufactured at-such low cost that it may be economically discarded after but a few uses. Further; the general objectof the invention is: to provide a methodfor making such an umbrella The invention contemplates an inexpensive umbrella which may bemadeot a single sheet: of waterproofed or water repellant paper, ordinary paper, or of otherlike material and. a simple wooden stock without requiring reinforcing ribsas are common in the usual paper umbrella- It. is a specialobject of the present invention to. provide an inexpensive umbrella which is: useful as a protectionagainst rain or as a parasol', which is of rigid construction capable. of with-- standing considerably buiieting by wind, and yet: having a cover and: struts, or the equivalent, therefor made. ct butv asingle; rectangleof sheet materiali. such. aspaper; and requiring no scpalrate ribs; and other spearate: parts. normally made. part of an umbrella... Further the umbrela la of the presentinvention. is: collapsibl'ee like. an ordinary umbrella. and may be opened and; closed numerous. times without: fracturing: the single sheet of material from which the cover and its: strut-like cooperating. part are. formed.

Heretofore, most: umbrellas; and parasols: hav ing paper covers not only ordinarily hadiin'cor porated: int their general: structure. wooden, bamboo, or metallic ribs. struts, but. also the. paper covering; was; necessarily arcu'ate. in shape. and was required. to be plaited radially... Thus, a further object of the invention is to provide a paper umbrella. cover with the strut-like: partthereof: integral. therewith, the whole being formedoi a specially folded single rectangular sheet. The: folds necessary to: form the. double tmmcated cone-like parts, constituting respectively the. cover and-L thestrut-like supporting portion therefolg. are. in the umbrella of the present invention, all either parallel or normal; to eachv other... First, not. onlyis. great saving had. in: paper used in the: manutacture, since nodrop-ofii is. required" in cutting the blank sheetsas is the case where it is necessary to cut ar-- cuate' blank:- but, second; all folds being parallel 2: to; one or another pair of-opposite sides of the rectangu-larbjl'anh, such folds may be readily made by machinery of simple designnot unlike many known paper folders. Further all plaits in the sheet are parallel, not radial, and. therefore greatly contribute; to the simplicity ot' manufacture;

In the umbrella of the present invention the plaiting of the-cover andstrut-like portion serves to reinforce both portions and obviates the use ofseparate ribs; struts; and hinges; which not. only greatly reduces cost" by elimination of suchparts but. by 'avoiding'th'e. labor costs asscciated with their assembly and application.

While the umbrella: of the present invention may be so constructed that it may be used many times in wind and-rain. and-folded and unfold-- ed repeatediy; like the usual expensive umbrella, its cost may be brought so low that the umbrella could be sold: fora few centsso that one caught in a rain' storm could well afford to bu-y it for a single use and afterwards-throw it away-z The invention also contemplates an inexpensive umbrella which may be made of; gaily c01- ored paper or sheet-material and maybe sold for use as a: beach parasol or the like.

The method oft'hepresent invention comprises-v pun'ching; or otherwise cutting and: foldinga.

single" sheet; of rectangular shape sothatv the' resultant'productmay'be madeendiess to form the cover and theequivalent of the strut structure of an umbrella- Further,- after the rectangular sheet has been properly eut; folded, and made endless; the resultant product maynbe attached in a simple mannerto-an-y' suitable: stock; such as awooden rod, and thereafter the cover may be expanded or collapsed-like that :of-lany ordinaryumbrella.

These andother obiects-and advantages-oi the present invention w-iil be more fully understood! from the following description and fromthedrawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. I is -an elevationallview of the umbrella,

partly opened, andiwitha portion at. the cover cut:-

away so that: the. interior may beseen.

Fig. 2 is anelevation'al viewof the umbrella. collapse-d.

Fig. 3 is adiagrammatic; incomplete-axial section.

Fig. 4a is a. fragmentary- .plan View; in several placeserased to condensethis somewhat'enlarged figure, or a flat blank: from-.which: the. cover and: strut structure oi theumbrel la ismade: In this. figure scores: or-fbld lines are indicated by solid lines; and, also, here, the flat blank has been apertured. It will be understood that the original blank is a flat rectangular sheet, as more particularly described below.

Fig. is a fragmentary detail, in perspective, showing part of the interior of the cover and strut structure of the umbrella.

The product of the invention is probably best described by setting forth, first, the method of its manufacture.

Here it is assumed that the cover and structure of the umbrella is made of paper. The blank is a flat rectangular sheet of paper, preferably, but by no means necessarily, about four times as long as its width.

The flat blank is shown in part in Fig. 4. Here score lines are shown solid and certain apertures are represented as already having been made.

That longitudinal edge of the blank which is to become the top edge of the umbrella cover is designated I; the opposite longitudinal edge, which is to become the lower edge of the umbrella structure, is designated 2. In Fig. 4 only one end of the blank is shown. The pattern represented in this portion is to be understood to be repeated throughout the length of the blank.

The blank is provided along the margin near longitudinal edge I with a series of spaced holes 3, and along the margin of longitudinal edge 2 with a series of spaced slots 4. Also the blank is provided with a longitudinal series of hexagonal apertures 5. The position of the median line of the longitudinal series of hexagonal apertures is not critical with respect to the edges of the blank, but, preferably, the median line of the series of apertures 5 is roughly one-fourth the width of the blank from edge 2 thereof. The holes, slots, and apertures are subsequently more particularly de scribed.

The blank is to be variously folded so that the one piece of material forms the cover as well as the strut structure of the umbrella.

Preferably, therefore, scores, all shown in solid lines in Fig. 4, are impressed in the fiat blank beforehand. A part of the folding operation involves plaiting the blank transversely in a special manner. All plait folds are made upon equally spaced parallel fold lines represented by scores running from edge I to edge 2 of the blank (see Fig. 4). The plaiting of the sheet is not performed in the usual manner of producing an accordion plait, as will be presently made clear. Additional scores are provided, and among these are two longitudinal scores, and a number of short diagonal scores which are continuations of the upper diagonal edges of the hexagonal apertures 5 in Fig. 4. One of the longitudinal scores, 8, is interrupted by the hexagonal apertures and is along the median line of the series. The other longitudinal score, I0, is preferably positioned near the longitudinal median line of the blank. The short diagonal scores are indexed 9. See Fig. 4, also Fig. 5.

In order to facilitate description of the umbrella hereinafter certain portions of the blank are given special designations. That portion between edge I and score is indexed II; between score I0 and score 8, I2; and between score 8 and edge 2, I3. Preferably, as said above with respect to the longitudinal scores 8 and III, the lower portion II of Fig. 4 constitutes about one half the blank, and the upper portions I2 and I3 each constitute about one quarter of the blank. It has been pointed out that this division is not a limitation. However it may be said here that the proportions selected govern the shape of the expanded umbrella.

The plaiting of the blank is peculiar to the actual umbrella structure desired in the present invention, and will be particularly described. In Fig. 4, wherein the (portion of the) blank shown is in plan, the lower portion I I becomes, after the folding operation is complete, the outer top surface of the umbrella cover (see Fig. 1) the portion I2 becomes part of the lower inner surface of the umbrella cover; and the portion I3 becomes the strut structure.

The spacements of the holes, slots, and apertures are governed by the spacements of the transverse scores 6 and I. All transverse scores are equally spaced, but for reasons presently to be made clear, each alternate transverse score is indexed 6 or I as the case may be. Each hexagonal aperture 5 is bisected by a score 6 each score 1 passes midway between a pair of such apertures. See Fig. 4. Of course it will be understood from the foregoing that score 8 also longitudinally intersects the series of hexagonal apertures 5. Thus the center of each such aperture is the intersection (theoretical) of score 8 and a score 6. A hole 3 is positioned on a common longitudinal line (not shown) between each pair of scores 6 and I. A slot t extends from the median line between a pair of scores 6 and I across score 1 to the median line between the adjacent pair of scores I and 6 (see Fig. 4).

In Fig. 4 it will be noted that the blank is erased in part in portions II, I2, and I3, inasmuch as actual dimensions and proportions are not important.

The blank is folded in the following manner: All plait folds are made along score 6 and 1.

However it is to be particularly understood that,

with respect to Fig. 4, for example, the plait fold, beginning at the bottom of the figure at edge I and following score 6 to score I0 (i. e., portion 6a. of score 6) is away from the plane of the figure (in other words, 6a Fig. 4, when folded, is a valley) from score I0 to score 8 (i. e., portion 6b of score 6) is toward the viewer of Fig. 4 (in other when folded, constitute respectively, an arris. a

valley, and an arris.

v Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view looking into theopened umbrella after the folding operation is complete.

Note here that the surface of the blank pre-i sented in Fig. 4 has become part of the interior surface and part of the exterior surface of the umbrella. The presented surface of portion I I I At any suitable stage of the folding operation preferably before plaiting, the entire blank is folded longitudinally along scores 8 and I II. With respect to Fig. 4, it may be said that portion II 15 folded away from the viewer on score I0 up and behind both portions l2 and 13. If portions ll, l2, and [3 are actually in the proportion 2:1:1 edge 1 then coincides with edge 2. Also portion [3 is folded toward the viewer down and over portion IE on score 8. Special reference should be had to Fig. 3, a diagrammatic radial section of the umbrella.

After the blank has been folded along the plait scores 6 and 7 and along the longitudinal scores 8 and I 0, the portion :3, in being brought forward (with respect to Fig. 4) toward the viewer and over and upon portion l2, bends will automatically form along scores 9 to compensate for the reversal of the plaiting order at score 8. This is best illustrated in Fig. 5.

If the blank is plaited in the manner described and the folds along scores 8 and have been executed, the blank appears as a three-ply object (having plies of unequal shape) with nesting plaits. Now, if the ends of the blank are brought around with respect to each other so as to meet, and are joined together in any suitable manner, as by pasting, the object presented is roughly a three-ply cylinder with nesting-plaits as its side- Walls.

A suitable stock 20, which may be a wooden rod, capped with a member 2|, is next; positioned in the inside of the endless blank, and a filamenta cord, wire, or the like-is stitched through the series of holes 3 along the margin near edge I of the blank, and this edge is gathered around the top of the stock beneath the member 2| by means of the filament; and by any other suitable means the filament is attached to the member 2| so that the gathered part of blank can edge 2 is thereby gathered around said sleeve.

Thereafter the strut structure of the umbrella may be run up and down the stock as desired with compensatory openings and collapsings of the cover in the manner of the usual umbrella.

While only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated it will be understood that many modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An umbrella comprising a stock and sheet material having a longitudinal series of apertures therein and a longitudinal fold adjacent to said apertures and another longitudinal fold in an opposite direction, and a plurality of transverse plaits, the folds of all plaits between an edge of said sheet and said first described longitudinal fold and between the opposite edge of said sheet and said second described longitudinal fold being inverse to the adjacent folds of the plaits between said longitudinal folds, one portion of said sheet material constituting the shade of said umbrella and another portion thereof constituting the struts of said shade, one longitudinal edge of said sheet material being gathered'and secured to said stock and the other longitudinal edge of said sheet material being gathered and slidably mounted around said stock.

2. A collapsible umbrella comprising a stock and a rectangular sheet of material twice folded on itself in flattened Z-formation, .and being plaited from end to end, the ends being joined, and the edges being gathered around said stock, one secured thereto, and the other slidably mounted thereon, one portion of said plaited other thereof forming a trunco-conical cover.

8. A collapsible umbrella comprising a sheet of paper of rectangular periphery when flat, and a stock, said sheet of paper being apertured in a longitudinal series and folded twice longitudinally, once through said series in one direction, and another time parallel to said series in an opposite direction; and folded other times laterally each time in an alternate direction, each alternate fold intersecting one of the apertures of said series; one longitudinal edge of said sheet of paper being gathered around and secured to said stock, and the other longitudinal edge of said sheet of paper being gathered around and slidably mounted on said stock.

4. The collapsible umbrella of claim 3 wherein a cap member is secured to said stock above the gathered and secured longitudinal edge of said paper and a handle member is secured to the other gathered longitudinal edge of said paper and is slidably mounted on said stock.

5. A collapsible umbrella comprising an elongated supporting stick, and a cover and an integral strut structure comprised of a single folded sheet of material and being in the form of truncated, cone like parts reversed with respect to each other, that portion of said cover located between its outer edge and the line of juncture of said cover and said strut structure being of double thickness of said sheet of material.

6. A collapsible umbrella comprising a stock and a rectangular sheet of material having two longitudinal folds and a series of transverse plaits extending from end to end of said sheet, the ends of said sheet being joined, and the plaited edges of said sheet being gathered together, one edge being secured to said stock and the other slidably mounted thereon.

7. A collapsible umbrella comprising a stock 1 and a sheet of material twice folded on itself longitudinal in flattened Z-formation, and being plaited from end to end, the ends being joined, and the plaited edges being gathered around said stock, one secured thereto, and the other slidably mounted thereon, one portion of said plaited sheet forming a trunco-conical strut and the other thereof forming a trunco-conical cover.

8. An umbrella cover and strut structure for supporting the said cover, said cover and strut structure being collapsible, which comprise a sheet of material folded twice from end to end forming in part three superposed plies in a portion of the folded sheet, said sheet being plaited transversely forming a series of nesting plaits, the ends of said sheet being joined together and the plaited edges of said sheet being gathered together forming two trunco-conical structures, one within the other and reversed with respect to the other.

FERDINAND KRAMER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS France Oct. 22, 1934 

